Container and locking sleeve and method for locking a sleeve relative to a container

ABSTRACT

A sleeve including a locking tab and a method for locking the sleeve on a container having a tab window are disclosed. The locking tab can be integral with or fastened to the sleeve. The sleeve encircles a portion of one or more largely conventional containers. The tab moves between a biased position where it doesn&#39;t prevent movement of the sleeve relative to the container and an extended position where it extends into a tab window on the container. When the tab registers with the tab window, it moves from the biased position to the extended position in which a portion of the tab extends into the tab window of the container. Engagement between the tab and one or more edges that define the tab window will prevent or restrict further movement of the sleeve relative to the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is a sleeve that covers a portion of a container andincludes a tab for locking the sleeve relative to the container.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Cardboard, paperboard, corrugated and chipboard containers are wellknown. Sleeves that cover a portion of such containers are also known.Such sleeves sometimes include graphics and typically are held in placeon containers by friction, tape or the like. Graphics are applied tocontainers in a variety of ways including printing graphics directly onthe containers as well as printing graphics on paper that is adhered tothe containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the discovery of an elegantly simplesleeve for use with a container. More specifically, the invention isconcerned with such a sleeve including a locking tab and a method forlocking the sleeve on a container that is provided with a tab window.

The sleeve includes a locking tab that can be integral with the sleeveand defined by a cut out in the sleeve or by scoring of the sleeve, forexample. Alternatively, a tab according to the invention can be securedadhesively or otherwise to the sleeve. The sleeve is adapted to encirclea portion of a largely conventional container. The container can be ageneric container in the sense that it might be used for severaldifferent products. A specific sleeve that, for example, has graphicsthat relate to one of those products or a group of those products can beused with the generic container and a second sleeve that, for example,has graphics that relate to a different product or group of products canalso be used with the generic container. Different sleeves may berotated on a seasonal basis, as well. The sleeve of the invention isheld fast on the container by a locking tab.

The tab on a sleeve according to the present invention, in oneembodiment, is movable between a biased position in which it will notinterfere with movement of the sleeve along the outside of a container,and an extended position. In this embodiment, the tab can be manuallymoved to the biased position and the sleeve can be slid onto thecontainer until the tab contacts an outside surface of the container. Atthat point, the outside surface of the container will keep the tab inthe biased position even as the sleeve is slid further along thecontainer. Co-action between the tab and an outside surface of thecontainer keep the tab in the biased position, between the sleeve andthe container, until the sleeve is removed from the container or the tabaligns with or registers with a tab window formed in the container. Whenthe tab aligns with the tab window, it will move from the biasedposition to an extended position in which the tab, or a portion of thetab, extends into the tab window of the container and, by engagementwith one or more edges that define the tab window in the container, thetab will prevent or restrict further movement of the sleeve relative tothe container.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a sleeve thatcan be locked to a container by engagement between a locking tab on thesleeve and a tab window on the container.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a graphics sleevethat can be secured to a largely generic container so that sleeves withdifferent graphics can be used with a single type of container.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the disclosure herein of preferred embodiments, reference beingmade to the attached drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a sleeve including alocking tab according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank for forming a largely conventionalcontainer modified to include a tab window according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is perspective exploded view showing a sleeve formed from theblank of FIG. 1 aligned with a container formed from the blank of FIG. 2for sliding of the sleeve onto the container.

FIG. 3A is a view in perspective showing the sleeve of FIG. 3 slippedover and engaged with the container of FIG. 3

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3A, andshowing the sleeve slipped over and engaged with the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in more detail to the drawing figures, FIG. 1 shows ablank, indicated generally at 10, for producing a sleeve according tothe instant invention. The blank 10 comprises a first side panel 12, asecond side panel 14, a third side panel 16, an inner fourth side panel18 and an outer fourth side panel 20. A locking tab 22, which is a partof the inner fourth side panel 18, has three cut edges 24 and a foldline 26. An arcuate protrusion 28 on one side of the tab 22 leaves athumb/finger cut out which facilitates the operation and manipulation ofthe tab 22, as is described in more detail below.

The blank 10 is folded along fold lines 30 to produce a sleeve 32, whichis shown in FIG. 3. The outer fourth side panel 20 (a portion of whichis broken away in FIG. 3) overlays the inner fourth side panel 18 and issecured thereto by adhesive, mechanical fasteners or other suitablemeans (not shown). In FIG. 3, the locking tab 22 has been foldeddownwardly about the fold line 26 from a neutral position shown in FIG.1 to what is subsequently herein called “a biased position”.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a blank indicated generally at 34 is used toform a container indicated generally at 36 in FIG. 3. So far as thepresent invention is concerned, a tab window, indicated at 38, is thesignificant aspect of the container blank 34 and of the container 36.Like many known containers, the container 36 has a first side panel 40,a second side panel 42 (FIG. 2), a third side panel 44 (FIG. 2) and afourth side panel 46. The blank 34 for the particular container 36further comprises a first inner end panel 48, a second inner end panel50, a first outer end panel 52 and a second outer end panel 54. Theblank 34 also comprises various and sundry commonly known end tabs andedge tabs that do not relate to the present invention and will not bedescribed further.

The tab window 38 is an opening that extends through the fourth sidepanel 46 of the blank 34 and of the container 36. According to theinvention, the tab window 38 is at least as large as, and, preferably,slightly larger than, the locking tab 22 of the blank 10 and on thecontainer 36. Preferably, the window 38 is slightly larger than thelocking tab 22. The sleeve 32 is sized, relative to the container 36, sothat an open end of the former can be positioned around a given end ofthe container 36 and slid along the outside of the container 36 towardsthe opposite the container 36. Prior to or during the placement of thesleeve 32 around the container 36, the locking tab 22 is manually foldedabout the fold line 26 to the biased position where it is adjacent theunder side of the panel 18, and extends away from the panel 12 from thefold line 26. The tab 22 is held in the biased position as the sleeve 32is slid toward the opposite end of the container 36 until the tab 22engages the outside of the container and, specifically, the outside ofthe fourth side panel 46 in which the tab window 38 is formed. As thesleeve 32 is slid further toward the opposite end of the container 36,the locking tab 22, in the biased position, is held captive between thefourth side panel 46 and the inner surface of the fourth side panel 18of the sleeve 22. The locking tab 22 will thus be maintained andretained in the biased position until the tab 22 registers or is alignedwith the tab window 38. When this registration occurs, the locking tab22 will enter the tab window 38 under its own bias which is imparted tothe tab 22 when it is folded along the fold line 26 to the biasedposition. The material which forms the tab 22, whether it is corrugatedcardboard, cardboard, paperboard or some other packaging material, canbe folded so that the tab 22 is in the biased position but the materialwill cause the tab 22 to move from the biased to a locking position whenthe tab isn't held or otherwise maintained in the biased position.

When the tab 22 registers with the tab window 38 and the tab 22 movesfrom the biased position (in which it is adjacent the under side of thefourth side panel 18) to the locking position, shown in FIG. 4, the tab22 or a portion of it extends through the window 38 and into theinterior of the container 36, as shown in FIG. 4. Engagement between theedges of the tab 22 of the sleeve 32 and the edges that define the tabwindow 38 in the container 36 prevent relative longitudinal movementbetween the sleeve 32 and the container 36 when the locking tab 22 is inthe locking position. If necessary or desired, the tab 22 can bemanually moved from the locking position to the biased position, whereit no longer engages the edges that define the tab window 38, therebyunlocking the sleeve 32 from the container 36 so that the sleeve 32 maybe removed from the container 36.

It will be appreciated that, so far as the function of a tab to lock asleeve relative to a container is concerned, the position of the tab onthe sleeve is a matter of choice, as is the position of a, tab window onthe container, so long as the tab and the window register when the tabis in the biased position, and the sleeve and the container are in theirdesired relative positions. Although the tab 22 is illustrated in thedrawing Figures as being carried on the panel 18, it could function justas well if it was carried on the panel 12, the panel 16 or the panel 14.Primarily for aesthetic reasons, however, it is preferred that the tabbe carried on an inner sleeve panel which is covered by another sleevepanel when the sleeve is assembled.

For purposes of the present invention, a container having at least threeside panels, i.e., one that is polygonal in cross section, is suitablefor use with a sleeve according to the invention. The sleeve should havea like number of side panels and be sized to fit, fairly snugly, overthe side panels of the container. It will be appreciated that a singlesleeve with a plurality of locking tabs might be used with a pluralityof containers including tab windows and that the sleeve could be lockedto any of the containers.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications arepossible from the specific details of the invention shown in theattached drawing figures and described above with reference thereto, andcan be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in theattached claims.

1. A sleeve for a container including a tab window, said sleevecomprising at least three panels, a tab, and a hinge connection betweensaid tab and one of said panels wherein said tab is moveable about saidhinge connection between a biased position and a locking position andwherein, when said tab is in the biased position and it aligns with thetab window in the container, said tab moves from the biased positioninto a locking position in which it engages at least one edge of the tabwindow in the container.
 2. A sleeve as claimed in claim 1 which has acentral cavity in which the container is longitudinally slidablerelative to the sleeve between a position in which said tab is outsidethe cavity and a position in which said tab is inside the cavity and isaligned with the tab window, and wherein, when said tab is in the biasedposition, the container can be caused to slide, relative to said sleeve,inside said sleeve to the position in which said tab is aligned with thetab window, said tab being sufficiently resilient that, when it isaligned with the tab window, it moves to the locked position.
 3. Asleeve as claimed in claim 2 wherein an exterior surface of thecontainer is operable to keep said tab in the biased position as thecontainer slides relative to said sleeve until the position is reachedin which said tab is aligned with the tab window.